RICCA NAMED ODAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR SECOND TIME

SALEM, VA (September 27, 2004)—Hampden-Sydney College junior quarterback JD Ricca (Gaithersburg, MD/St. John’s) has been named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after leading the 13^th-ranked (AFCA/D3football.com) Tigers to a 62-21 victory over Guilford College Saturday, September 25.  Ricca’s second honor of the year gives the Tigers three offensive players of the week in three games in 2004.

In one half of play against ODAC-foe Guilford, Ricca completed 15-of-16 passes for 316 yards and six touchdowns as the Tigers rolled up a 56-14 halftime advantage.  Ricca set the ODAC record for completion percentage in a game (93.8%), while tying his own record for touchdowns in a game and a half (six) which he set in the first half of Hampden-Sydney’s 82-14 victory over Maryville in 2003.  Ricca’s 316 passing yards established a new Hampden-Sydney record for yards passing in one half of play.

Ricca also had a part in another passing record on the day as he connected with freshman receiver Drew Smith (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) for four touchdowns, helping Smith tie the ODAC and H-SC record for TD receptions in a game.  Overall, Ricca had TD passes of 77, 76, 35, 24, 13 and nine yards.

Through three games Ricca has compiled a 213.37 efficiency rating after completing 43-of-70 passes (61.4%) for 834 yards and 11 touchdowns, compared to no interceptions.  Ricca will lead the 13^th-ranked Tigers against three-time defending ODAC champion Bridgewater, Saturday, October 2, at 1 pm in Bridgewater, VA.

-www.hsc.edu/athletics-